If you’re a fan of sleeves for your iPad or iPad 2, and are willing to navigate through a Korean website, you may enjoy what Taylor Technologies has brought to the table with Smart Stand Sleeve (49,000 South Korean Won/~$41) — it’s one of the more useful sleeves we’ve seen. Each side of the black, brown, or red leather sleeve folds around a triangle-shaped section in the center, and the open end has magnets that hold it together. These features allow the sleeve to fold into two different kinds of stands: a shallow one for typing, and a somewhat deeper one for video viewing. We really liked the depth of the angles, and found the stands to be sturdy. A small rubber lip at the bottom keeps the tablet from slipping.
Here’s the only problem: the magnets in the open end can accidentally turn on the iPad 2, which could lead to unintended battery drain. At first we weren’t too worried about this flaw; we thought the chances of it happening often were pretty low. In our testing, however, it turned out to be a pretty common problem, and happened regardless of the direction the iPad 2 was inserted. Of course owners of the original iPad won’t experience these issues, but for people who are using the newer tablet, this issue stops us from being able to recommend the otherwise novel solution. For the first iPad, it’s worthy of a B; on the iPad 2, the magnet issues merit a C rating.
Our Rating
When Used with iPad
When Used with iPad 2
Company and Price
Company: Taylor Technologies (Korea)
Website: www.Taylor.co.kr
Model: Smart Stand Sleeve
Price: 49,000 South Korean Won/~$41
Compatible: iPad, iPad 2